Rich S

Dale A lovely daisho from the Tenpo/Saotome school. One of my favorite schools. Great find. Now the question is - how to get them from Tas. to VA.? Rich

RIP Fred - You were one of the old guard. You will be missed. Rich

Looks like a Maple leaf at the bottom.

Yes, I name mine "Rich's katana 1,etc; Rich's tanto #x, Rich's waK #X Willie Nelson named his guitar.

I suspect Heianjo on a Saotome plate also. Good call; nice tsuba. Rich

Bruce I just want to remind you and everyone that my site is now 25 years old and hasn't been updated in years. So please don't anyone take it as the final authority or any authority on any thing ! It's caused so much problems that I'm asking Brian to take it offline. Rich

Bruce What is the date (year) of the RJT document from Morita-san? On Nick Komiya's article is a date of 1943. I'm just wondering if folks are going a bit nuts over a stamp that was only used during the last approx.1.5 years of WWII? What about the other zillion or so swords made earlier since the Japanese re-militaration? Did the RJT regs apply earlier? I don't have any star stamps (no dog in this fight ), just curious. Rich

Sorry Stephen, don't need any cryptic (I like paper and metal money) and my swords or tsuba don't talk to me. Rather, I talked to them "Gee, you're pretty. Are you under $500 (for sword) or under $100 ( for tsuba)??" Worked well for me up to about the late 1970's. Then any Showa period sword was considered a weed wacker and iron tsuba as fishing weights. Times and fashion changed. Oh well, life (such as it is) goes on. But that's getting a bit off topic. Rich

Thank you David.

Just can't buy a good nights sleep Then why have so many RJT, non star stamped blades been papered as true Nihonto?? Going in circles again. There are no absolutes !! Good night again (I hope)

Then why aren't ALL RJT swords star stamped???? I think we are going in endless circles. My brain hurts. Need a good nights sleep - bye you'al

Do we know with absolute certainty that all star stamped blades were made from tamahagane? Maybe a few (or a lot) of star stamped were mis-stamped by accident or intention??? No absolute proof of any of it.

Steve Take this entire discussion about Nagamitsu, substitute Emura and you have exactly the same discussion all over again Rich

Kershaw are good (have several), don't like Spyderco (no holes in my blades:-) More into good old fashion slip joints - esp SAKs. BTW, today you couldn't get near the FBI building with a straight pin, much less a knife! rich

Mark- agreed, sort of got diverted several posts back. Brian can you move it there and start a new thread? Like Opinels also. Rich